The present invention relates generally to multimedia data distribution via computer links and, more particularly, to interactive multimedia data events with recording and reporting capabilities in a computer linked arrangement. More particularly still, the present invention relates to the ability to provide multimedia data to a computer user in an interactive mode that allows a server providing the multimedia data to record and report the user's activity level during a multimedia presentation session and credit the user for reviewing and gaining proficiency in the session subject.
Computers have become pervasive in all aspects of the business and educational worlds. Computers allow for the generation, storage, retrieval, and interaction with data in useful ways. For example, business uses allow for large amounts of data to be correlated together in the form of data bases or spread sheets that allow a user to categorize and view relationships more rapid than was previously possible without the aid of the computer.
Computers have also allowed for the dissemination of information either to limited groups or to large audiences via such communication channels as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. Within this transmission of information, multimedia presentations have expanded to broaden the information dissemination and educational opportunities available over LANs, WANs, and the Internet.
The multimedia capabilities of today allow for students or interested persons to view information at their own pace, without needing to attend a class in the traditional sense of a teacher directly teaching students in a classroom setting. A teacher can now video tape a lecture and place it on a communications server so that students can access the lecture according their own schedule. The computer system also provides interactive participation with the lecture so the student, after the lecture has been presented, or at any time during the presentation of the lecture, may pause and reflect upon the subject matter presented in the lecture. This is done by providing a brief question and answer session to gauge the student's understanding. The student can view his or her results and review the lecture to fill in the gaps of information lacking during the evaluation.
Unfortunately, what has been lacking is the ability to obtain information from various users of the education system and report that information back to a supervisor, such as an instructor (such as a teacher or professor), principal, administrator, or employer of the users in a meaningful and helpful manner for evaluation or review of the user's understanding of the subject matter. For example, educational systems require that teachers continue to improve their teachings skills and understanding of information taught by them in their classrooms. The ability to view a lecture and then evaluate on their own their understanding of the material presented in the lecture is helpful to the teacher, but does not convey to the teacher's supervisor what level of understanding the teacher has obtained. Further, the supervisor of the user would also be interested in knowing more about how long the user took to review the information, how the user performed in the evaluation, what level of interaction did the user have with the lecture presented, how the collective group or groups of educators are doing, and so forth.
The Internet has provided interactivity where an Internet user is able to browse among various web sites for information. Upon finding a site of interest to the user, that site at times is able to glean information from the user that would be helpful for the web provider in a commercial or social context. For example, a user may visit a commercial site that sells widgets. The widget provider questions the user about what the user's needs are in order for the widget provider to best serve the needs of its clientele. This information is reported back to the widget provider so the widget provider can provide the best commercial site possible based on the needs of its clients.
Likewise, in a social setting, an advocacy group may provide a web site that invites all to view its positions. The advocacy web site may also solicit input from those that view its web site in order to find out the views and values of those visiting to refine its approach in achieving its goals. Both of these situations are different from the training or educational situation previously described in that the individual providing feedback to the commercial or social sites is not directly associated with the organization, nor is the user being evaluated for comprehension and learning of the disclosed subject matter.
Accordingly, what is needed is an interactive process that allows for educational and professional development via a computer system coupled to an Internet channel that allows an end user to view a presentation, be evaluated on the understanding gained by the user after the presentation, and reporting the results of the user's activity and evaluation to a supervisor that uses that data to verify, evaluate, and enhance educational or teacher development, which data can also be used for professional development credit or even college credit.